44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



a strand of wire fence. Afterwards I saw several more of these 

 birds, probably twenty-five in all, and it was extremely gratify- 

 ing to meet a member of this family in mid-winter. Of course 

 they have been known to winter regularly in lower New Jersey, 

 but one docs not fully appreciate such a statement until it is 

 placed right before him with the wind, a gale and the mercury 

 having recently recorded a minus quantity. Three Purple 

 Finches perched on the tall weeds at the marsh edge and then 

 flew into the cedars with the Warblers. 



The open marsh, to the west of the woods is about three- 

 quarters of a mile across, but missing the trail and having to 

 retrace in part my route to cross a tidal stream, I made it nearly 

 two miles. This part of the trip showed no birds and required 

 brisk walking to keep comfortably warm. The timber was 

 sparse and of small growth, much cut out and the undergrowth 

 of bay with man}' green briars. I had scarcely entered on the 

 cart-road leading into the woods when I was greeted with 

 the familiar "mew" of a Catbird and saw it fly across a 

 small opening with a tangle of briars. Here the Myrtle Warb- 

 lers and White-throats were again in evidence. As I entered 

 farther into the pines I found the walking bad enough, a few 

 teams had broken up the roadway and the hard freezing made 

 the path too rough for pleasure. Presently I heard an ap- 

 parently familiar note, but for some time could neither discover 

 the bird nor recognize his voice, as I listened and watched, 

 tramping at times into soft drifts of a foot or more in depth. I 

 at last saw the bird and my pleasure and surprise were indeed 

 great to again greet an old south Georgian friend in the form 

 of a Brown-headed Nuthatch. Mr. Rhoads had found this 

 species in lower Delaware during the breeding season and it is 

 usually resident where found, but being at the northernmost 

 limit of its breeding range of this bird a winter record is of in- 

 terest, particularly during such a winter as we have just experi- 

 enced and it only the more fully confirms the fact that the bird 

 is resident throughout its range. I spent considerable time 

 watching my old friend and renewing an acquaintance with hie 

 active and versatile movements. At times I was within fifteen 

 feet of him as he traveled around the tip of a small pine limb ; 



